Beyond Lego, some new building toys

By: The Associated Press

April 3, 2014Updated: April 3, 2014 at 7:35 pm

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Daniel Johnson, 6, works on completing a LEGO spaceship during the MINECRAFT Spring Break Camp at the Banning Lewis Ranch Academy on Monday, March 24, 2014. MINECRAFT Spring Break Camps is one of many programs that Bricks 4 Kidz offers to young students. These programs are designed to teach children critical thinking and problem solving skills at an early age. Photo by Mason Trinca, The Gazette

Building and construction toys have been a fixture in playrooms since, well, forever, and there are several reasons for their enduring appeal.

"Directions aren't necessary, no rules or instructions are needed. Children are just provided space to grow," says Judith Ellis, founder and chairwoman of the Toy Design department at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology.

While Lego and Mega Blox are category stalwarts - Lego celebrates its 82nd birthday this year and has a hit movie in theaters - there are other interesting options to consider.

At the recent Toy Fair 2014 in New York, the building category was robust, according to Adrienne Apell, trends specialist for the Toy Industry Association. "It's been very hot, and that's going to continue," she says. "We love this trend because it speaks to the fact that classic play patterns appeal to kids, generation after generation."

Parents enjoy building stuff too, and bring their own childhood memories to the play table.

Magna-Tiles are colorful geometric tiles with embedded magnets along the edges. There are also translucent tile sets to make see-through creations, including "stained glass" windows. The plastic is Pthalate- and Latex-free. (magnatiles.com)

Tegu blocks also are magnetized but are crafted of wood, harvested by cooperatives in Honduras certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The smooth-sided blocks, rectangles and triangles come in soft, natural colors in starter-set sizes (with a felt travel pouch) and larger sets of 40 to 480 pieces. There's a car-building set, too. (tegu.com)

Toddler builders might like to start with Edushape's sturdy foam blocks and shapes. After mastering simple tangrams, stacked castles and rudimentary fitted bits, kids can graduate to Kiddy Connects - a collection of snap-and-lock plastic pieces that include elbows and other unusual shapes. (edushape.com)

K'nex has kits to make simple machines such as windmills, sail carts, water mills, elevators and levers, allowing kids to tinker at home with concepts they might have been exposed to in the classroom. (knex.com)

And targeting science-oriented young girls, Goldie Blox kits offer the chance to build things such as dunk tanks, spinning machines and belt drive machines. Developed by Stanford engineering graduate Debbie Sterling, the kits feature intrepid young inventor Goldie, her friends and her dog Nacho tackling various obstacles using innovation and savvy. (goldieblox.com)

Finally, for the kids who are always taking apart broken appliances or rewiring the stereo, consider littleBits. It offers what you need to make all kinds of electronic circuits, but without worrying about wiring, programming or soldering.

The magnet-embedded modules snap together, and you can add buzzers, lights or other components to create more elaborate contraptions.

An online library offers free plans where you can share your creations as well. (littlebits.cc)

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